The brother of a freelance photojournalist and film maker facing piracy charges in Russia has told Daybreak of how he fears his brother's life could be "torn apart" by a prison sentence on "absurd" charges.

Russell Bryan called for a "proportionate" punishment for the 30 activists arrested on board the Arctic Sunrise and maintained this his brother, Kieron, had only been filming the protest as part of a job.

Kieron is due to appear in court in Murmansk, north-west Russia later today.

British Greenpeace activist Anthony Perrett at a court hearing in Murmansk last month, where he was charged with terrorism and piracy. Credit: PA

The first two UK nationals arrested on piracy charges in Russia will appear in court later this morning for their bail hearings.

Greenpeace activist Phil Ball and freelance videographer, Keiron Bryan, 29, were seized while on board the Arctic Sunrise by the Russian security officers last month.

They were charged with piracy and terrorism but Greenpeace maintain they were there to protest against Russia's drilling in the Arctic.

Russian investigators claim to have found hard drugs on board the Greenpeace boat but the environmental charity maintains the only drugs on board were carried for medical purposes as dictated by international maritime law.